


Only One

by TooManyRiddles



Category: Doctor Who (2005), The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Action/Adventure, Aftermath of Violence, Blood and Violence, Crossover, Fluff and Angst, Loss, Memory Loss
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-05 18:54:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25600153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TooManyRiddles/pseuds/TooManyRiddles
Summary: Link thought he had one chance to do this. To help seal away Ganon. When he fails, he awakens a one hundred years later to accomplish the same goal. Only this time, it isn't just him. And there's more to this legend than the good guys realise.(Still be a wip just hope you enjoy what I've done so far!)
Relationships: Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	1. Prologue

**AN:** This is just a lil flavour of this… er… weird crossover I’ve started. Unsure what rating it should be… I wish I could go dark with this, but I’ll keep it at T for now. There is some violence but doubting it will be extremely graphic at this moment.

This is obviously more emotional than what happened in the final memory in BOTW (was originally going to write up that) since I thought why not do this part my own way? This is a crossover fic after all 😊 Not only this, but I want darker scenes as that’s really my vibe. Sorry LoZ and DW D:

Also can’t promise my characterisation will be perfection… and I know Link talks in this part but it’s something I’d expect if you think you might die… and he may feel he can no longer carry the burden of defeating Ganon if he has ‘failed’. This prologue is also short, didn’t want too much detail as trying to keep the lore and etc under wraps at the moment for the sake of mystery XD. This is merely part of setting the relationship and darkness of this world.

I have been away for a long time from the fanfiction scene… I cannot catch a break writing or with how busy my life gets with other things. I can also only write whilst I am passionate/obsessed with something. Been watching Doctor Who properly lately and my love for Breath of the Wild is strong. Really hope I can get through this and you’ll enjoy it in some way.

DESPITE my attempt to go off on one with this… I want y'all to know that I don’t own Doctor Who or Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. These characters ain’t my sub-par creations but characters I adore and want to explore in writing. Also, I did attempt to look around the fandom to check this idea isn’t similar to an existing story but to my knowledge what I wish to tell is my creation.

~ TooManyRiddles

* * *

Prologue:

He had one chance. To stop Calamity Ganon was his duty. Link felt numb, both physically and emotionally. Enemy fire had scorched his skin and wounded his pride. Warm blood poured from the side of his head, a weak groan escaping his lips. Fingertips grazed over his fabled blade’s hilt, the hand not being quite strong enough to grasp it. Regardless of his determination to keep going. Suddenly, delicate arms wrapped around him like a tight bandage, willing him to get better. He could feel her yearning for his strength, sorrowful wails making themselves known over the sound of roaring fire and mechanical rattles. Eyes followed the flames decimating the grassland and blotting out the night sky, his focus returning inward to what needed to be done.

“…. Run…” he wheezed. No acknowledgement followed. Link did not speak often but now he was left with no choice. He craned his neck as much as his tight skin and muscles would allow, trying to meet the eyes of his monarch. Light from the fire caught in the streams of tears making themselves down her face, navigating the pained contortions. Link wished he could burn her into his mind, but he wanted nothing more than to see her survive. His arm felt heavy as it reached to hold the right side of her face, salty tears mixing with the ash upon his palm.

Her voice trembled as she spoke, “My… knight… This is all my fault.”

He willed his eyes to meet hers with a steely resolve, he would not accept her thinking anything of this sort. A pained gasp followed as his leg shifted to press his back against her, Zelda jolted to support him. Link let out an uneasy breath from the intimate position, too forlorn to laugh. He re-established eye contact and shook his head. Failure was unimaginable, some part of them all held the idealistic belief they would prevail over evil. How foolish. He could still carry out his duty. “Z-Zelda… leave… while you can. I have failed you.”

Zelda pressed her nose into his hair, harsh breathing making its way into a heartless laugh. He thought it was initially meant to be mirthful in that heart-breaking kind of way. It felt empty. “Look at us… where did all our confidence go?”. A left hand slid down to hold his, her other stroking the locks out of his eyes. “It has been built up for so long, this destiny we were meant to chase. It sounds silly but… I’d actually began to believe the stories the women of my line and that I really had been gifted with their wisdom.” She smiled wistfully at his annoyed grunt, letting her thumb rub circles into his palm. “I know that if you had the strength, you’d push me away. It is… rather… ironic, my k-knight.”

He gritted his teeth, closing his eyes to hold in the pain. Zelda listened to the sounds of metal, distant enough for respite but she knew he could not run. She wondered what would happen if one were to find them now… whether he would find some hidden strength or buckle under his own weight. “Were you always this resilient? No… perhaps not. Mipha… oh Mipha told me of a little boy who would play in the water... adorned with cherry blossoms and cry at cutting the soles of his feet.”

Link clasped her hand with his, the grip tense and contrasting from Zelda’s own trembling frame. He was willing her to leave, to stop stalling and escape while the piercing gaze of a Guardian was absent. Her voice seemed to shake as emotion bubbled over. “I miss them… I-I hope they are…- “

He squeezed harder, biting his lip to hold back a sob. His breath kept catching in his throat, he was scared, and this further terrified her. “Link… I c-cannot… please don’t… don’t make me. Let us just… sit.” Link’s eyes welled with tears hearing her speak his name. She had spoken it with such anguish as opposed to referring to him as ‘champion’ in the usual frustrated or playful tone. He shook his head again, grunting and attempting to pry her away with his better hand. Zelda met his eyes and her face was filled with pain, like she’d been bitten. “I will not leave you!”

Link persisted, growing more desperate as he was aware of the encroaching danger. He coughed, finding a familiar metallic taste clung to his tongue with blood trailing down his chin. Picking up his sword, he knelt and took ragged breaths. The reassuring hand on his shoulder did nothing but fill his chest with fear and shame. Then he heard it. The dry earth nearby trembled and lost integrity as fire and ancient machinery callously made its way across. With a pained gasp, the master sword was used to shakily bring Link on his two feet, the Guardian trampling ever closer.

Zelda let go of his frame as he stumbled, hands clinging to the dirty material of her dress. Such finery worn to respect the goddess had not aided in her plight, it only served as a disgraceful reminder of her failure. Besides mud, her noticeable lack of injury riddled her with guilt. Her champion stood before her, currently clutching his head in such a way he could not adopt a fighting stance. Zelda held in a choked breath as her eyes came to see the luminous and now malignant contraption. Its powerful metal arms clung to the remains of its fallen brethren. Her instinct kicked in as the Guardian’s glowing blue eye focused and turned red. Zelda placed herself between them, a red laser pinpointing on her rather than Link’s frail body. “NO!” A bright light began to emanate from her outstretched hand and made her body a radiant white within seconds. The power made her feel different than she expected it would.

Link felt his legs move back a few steps without warning, he dug his sword into the ground to support his weight. He wiped the blood off his chin as he stared in awe at the angelic light and the calm demeanour of the wielder. Light worked its way outwards and consumed the surrounding machines, each one losing the vigour to fight as their glowing red light fizzled out. Link did not think much more about it as exhaustion overcame his body and he felt his body fall.


	2. Wrong Button?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the Doctor and Rose crash landing into Hyrule - don't think too hard about why as of right now. Haven't decided if that will come into plot or just be harmless Doctor who shenanigans! Well I wanna be darker about this fic but still needs to feel like DW and BOTW!

**AN:** Aha… honestly could hear the DW theme tune when I finished that prologue XD

So… This is the beginning where we meet the Doctor and how he and Rose find themselves in Hyrule. I nearly went with the 11th Doctor (… honestly my favourite) but decided that Rose’s perspective on things would be an interesting direction for me to write. I feel like I can use her to look for a more positive or sympathetic angle. Besides… got this idea when I was watching ‘Season 2’ of rebooted DW with David and Billie 😊

Not going to encounter many people at first as this part is for establishing the circumstances and lovely DW banter! I am still finding my feet with this… unsure about amount of detail, my writing style, the direction of plot, how long chapters should be etc. I’m unsure about pretty much every detail … even what music the Doctor might play in the TARDIS XD

I’m also very hesitant using lyrics in my fic after my obsession as a 13-year-old – this is my way of taking the piss out of my myself! (Check out my ‘Breaking and Entering’ for that in action… it is on my FF.net account @ EccentricBrit)

There is also some added detail to kind of paint the landscape a little more, but they start on ‘Sahasra Slope’ that leads up to Kakariko Village. Didn’t want to have them wander for too long, wouldn’t be entertaining enough for a DW episode. Also need that juicy lore!

Disclaimer: … I’m very rusty at writing and don’t own BOTW/Legend of Zelda or the DW universes. So, I warn you it might not be anywhere near perfect but ultimately, I’d like to entertain some people and express myself a bit at the moment considering everything going on in 2020. Have a good day guys!

~ TooManyRiddles 

* * *

Chapter 1: Wrong button?

Rose found herself raising an eyebrow at the Doctor, eventually letting herself smile warmly at him. Whilst tinkering below the stairs, he’d rushed back up with a real spring in his step, letting music bounce off the walls as he set their next coordinates. She preferred him like this, her light-hearted Doctor. Leaning against a railing she just watched the time lord hum along, dancing around the centre of the TARDIS flicking switches and pulling levers. She’d tried to understand how he controlled his precious time machine, but it seemed so unpredictable and confusing. But she supposed that made sense considering it was time travel they were playing with. Speaking of precious, she held in a laugh as she witnessed him caress ‘her’ again. Almost made her jealous.

“Save some face… you know you’ve only got one.” He sang whilst grinning at her. Rose eye rolled slightly, moving towards him. “Change your ways… while you're young”.

She laughed a little, knowing he was poking fun at the fact she was human. “I like this song… least I actually know this one.”

“Hey! I have a varied taste… and it’s not all Earth music of course. Next time I’ll pick something different to really get the blood pumping.” The Doctor held out his hand, Rose taking it and letting him spin her around. They both briefly sang together, “Smile like you mean it…”.

She kept hold of his hand, swaying slightly to the melody. “Sure, it’d be nice to hear what other aliens sing about. Maybe they all sing about love too.” Rose looked at the console to their side before the doctor spun her around again. “I mean… despite how different we are… still find we are similar in some ways…”

The Doctor did not immediately answer, spinning her without looking at her directly as he pondered. “Well yes… of course they sing about… well they tell it differently sometimes. I know you won’t appreciate some of them-“

Rose blinked rapidly, “I know I’m human and you think I might not be able to value-“

“Some of it is oddly graphic.”

“Well Earth- our music can be too.” Rose met his eyes, placing a hand on his shoulder to get him to sway with her. Sometimes she felt he underestimated her, not that he didn’t respect or care for her opinion, but she wished that he’d be a little more trusting of her. Rose had to remind herself he wasn’t human and so there was naturally differences in knowledge or emotional understanding between them. She also found it slightly unnerving she had just distanced herself from humanity. Looks like she needed to visit London again. Regular London where Mickey and her mum were.

“I just don’t want to overwhelm you is all.” He looked towards the centre of his TARDIS, almost looking for support or distraction from committing to the emotional side of the conversation. “OH! By the way sorry I didn’t say but we’re going somewhere fun today! Come on, I wanna hear some guesses!”

Rose felt his grip on her waist tighten as he grew excited, practically ready to jump up and down on the spot. She laughed, her doubts melting away. “It’s usually fun anywhere we go… Guess? You could literally be taking me anywhere!”

“I know but come on I want to hear what you think! Might give me more ideas for later.” His eyes began to almost sparkle, she could catch the gentle green light reflecting in his irises.

“Oh… erm… An alien theme park? I haven’t been to one in ages… a normal theme park I mean.” She really hadn’t, there was no time between working and then travelling with the Doctor. To think, she could have been working in retail or hospitality or something about now… or in an alternate universe.

“Good guess! I’ll have to take you to my favourite… I can get us in for free. I know somebody who can get us in- failing that the TARDIS would get us in without any hassle anyway. Honestly. They have these fried morsels… you’d probably say they’re like croquettes but actually…-“

“Doctor we should but can you give me… erm… maybe a hint? There’s a lot of… options.” His enthusiastic ramblings made her heart flutter, but she was too impatient to wait. She wanted to know so badly where they were going. His hands landed on her shoulders, eyes focused on hers as if they were trying to read her thoughts.

“Really good. But okay I’ll tell you… so impatient.” He took in a breath, his mouth suddenly going into ‘hyperdrive’. “Well… there’s this safari that has free roaming alien species- and I promise this time it is safe! I know you’ll love it. It is fantastic… but it is rather big. You see they have different habitats to accommodate all the species, but they do have modes of transport. Completely protected. If you’re really that worried, I can amplify the shields they have but you just have to see it.” The Doctor paused briefly seeming to envision it, smiling so much his teeth were showing.

Rose’s mouth fell open slightly. She’d never travelled outside of the UK much, going on something like a Safari on Earth felt like a pipe dream then and now she was doing so much more. “That sounds… fantastic.” She was almost speechless, gripping the doctor’s hands before starting to skip around the centre. “I can’t believe it! I’ve always wanted to see animals as they are in the wild.” Rose leaned against the console, slightly biting her lower lip as she beamed. She was trying to contain herself. The time lord in front of her certainly did not, a loud laugh resonated through the air as he paraded about, humming along to the music again. “I’ve never had the chance… don’t really know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything… just hold on.” He gave her a sincere look, walking over to her. Rose felt his hand graze hers as he stood beside her. “It’ll be even better to share it with someone… not to mention I didn’t catch it all last time.” The Doctor grasped a lever, nodding at her to receive her permission. It made her breathless. Rose nodded in response, peering at up at him he pushed it down wearing a grin that would put the Cheshire cat to shame.

He was the most complex… friend Rose had ever had. Mischievous, tenacious, intelligent, scarred, and undeniably fantastic. She regularly found herself feeling guilty for largely abandoning her little London life, but there was just so much she had to see now. It was like she had walked into Pandora’s box rather than a timelord’s police box. Now her mind had been opened, the craving for adventure and danger remained a part of her being. Sitting on her brain, burning in her blood, aching in her bones. Rose had to be with him wherever he may be. Which was always at the epicentre of every calamity. She gripped onto his arm, which was outstretched and holding onto to the edge of the console as if he were ready to embrace someone. Her eyes shut, feeling the rumble and droning of the TARDIS through her entire body. Suddenly she felt her stomach drop and she opened her eyes reflexively, the air leaving her lungs in a single exhale. They were falling and the Doctor was shouting.

“Mm…argh….”

A slender hand lightly rubbed the floor next to it, feeling the metallic grating and getting a quick sense of where they were. The arm attached to the hand angled itself, helping the Doctor prop himself up on his elbows. Eyes quickly adjusted to the familiar surroundings, a sigh leaving his lips as he realised the TARDIS was still in one piece. “… Rose?” He made himself stand, glancing about before spotting her sat against the railing, holding the back of her head. “Rose! I’m glad you’re alright… not sure if we made it or not.”

Rose glared briefly, “I don’t know if I am ‘alright’… but yeah that was…- Did you press the wrong button?”

“The wrong button? Don’t be absurd… I think it was just a simple accident.” The Doctor slowly made his way over to her, holding out his hand to help her to her feet. He watched her pout for a few seconds before the timelord grabbed her hand himself. “It happens… her navigation can be a bit off… there’s actually a lot of territory for her to distinguish between. Luckily… we might not be too far away from where we want to be.” He placed a reassuring hand on the console before he bounded towards the door and poked his head outside.

The Doctor blinked at the bright sunlight, scanning the land in front of him for immediate threat before realising all he could see was grass and mountainous terrain. Where they had landed was more level part of the landscape and appeared to be stone. There were rolling hills, with a few large stones and hills strewn about, some were topped with more grass and shrubs. A gentle breeze shifted the grass blades and rocked the lone tree to his right. He let himself place a step outside, trailing his eyes upwards to admire the idyllic scenery. Faintly he could hear Rose calling to him but for a moment he wanted to just be a part of this world. The smell of dew worked its way into his nostrils, he responded by more closely examining the grass as he walked a little further from the TARDIS. It had recently rained, fine droplets still clung to the edges of the grass blades.

‘This is so… tranquil…’ The Doctor thought, letting his breath mingle with the wind. His hand slipped into the pocket of his brown coat, forgetting the voice of his companion drew closer.

“Doctor! Have you been eaten? Are we there?” Rose trampled through grass as fast as she could, wearing an irritated expression.

He paused, scoffing audibly. “Eaten? Seriously? That was what you thought had happened?” The Doctor sighed, turning around to face his companion. “And no, we are definitely not we set out to go.” He waited for her next question. She was so inquisitive and had a set idea of what a safari looked like. Or grass in this case.

“What? It looks like the kind of place where you’d see animals roaming about…”

“Maybe but it isn’t the safari. They have purple grass.”

Rose laughed, holding her arms out to feel the breeze. Her eyes slightly filled with tears as she laughed harder. “Doctor, y-you’ve got to be kidding me…”

“No… genuinely this luminous purple. And it’s longer grass than this stuff. This place reminds me more of Earth.” He smiled thoughtfully. “Expanses of green passages, air with a distinct herbaceous scent…”

Rose hesitantly plucked a few blades from the ground, bringing them close to her eyes to peer at them. “This looks so much like our grass… maybe this is Earth?”. She watched him take a few steps forward, eyes not really seeing. He seemed deep in thought, you could practically see the thoughts pinging about in his head. Fingers twitching at his sides, then a hand moving to grasp his sharp chin.

“I don’t think this… it can’t be… we drifted so far out of Earth’s way. Maybe we’ve entered a pocket universe… a parallel...- No. We definitely haven’t or else the TARDIS would have lost power by now. From what I can tell, we’re still in our universe.” At this point he’d stopped pacing, watching Rose’s expression momentarily. She still had blades of grass in a tight fist, but the rest of her frame was relaxed which reminded him they could still enjoy this unknown world.

“So… another planet that resembles Earth… but I suppose this is where you tell me to still keep an eye out?” She seemed eager. Her movements began to take on a restrained energy, being restricted to the spot where she stood. Rose’s feet shuffled on the spot, her upper body and neck moving to follow her gaze as she took in her surroundings. She rubbed the grass between her thumb and forefinger, losing a few blades in the process. “I know this isn’t the safari but there has got to be something interesting here. A difference between us and them. I can feel it.”

The Doctor himself was eager to establish that himself. But the way things were looking he wasn’t sure whether Rose would follow his lead. It wasn’t often they found themselves in such an open space with no apparent danger or people to speak of. “Yes… we aren’t sure what is out there. How prepared we are.” He patted the inside of his coat to feel the sonic screwdriver securely still on his person. “I think we need some way of getting about… unless you don’t mind walking?” He smirked, waiting for her to retaliate.

“… I don’t mind… it’s just… it looks like a really long way from anywhere.” She crossed her arms, beginning to move forwards a little. Her eyes trying to focus on a point in the distance. “Maybe we just… go in this direction until we find somebody.” She pointed to allow the Doctor to follow her gaze across the farthest tall hill in the distance. “It’s not too steep… and there is a tall hill- well hills. Maybe…”

“It’s a good start as any. Good vantage point for us. We’ll just have a look about… you know… see if any people reside amongst those hills.” He turned on his heel and walked back towards the TARDIS. He’d need something to get them close, there was bound to be paths to be followed. He did not plan on hiking any mountains out here, not with Rose. The Doctor couldn’t imagine she would want to do that anyway.

“Doctor wait- Oh right.” Rose blushed slightly, turning back towards the ridge, following the rugged landscape in the distance. Even up several metres above the ground, what looked like pine trees had established themselves. Little robust shrubs and fungi dotted themselves along the ridge as well as in crevasses in the rock. The sun came from behind them, rays of light streamed down and illuminated what she could see in natural light. Rose let herself pace forwards, eyes seeking out every natural detail. It felt weird to not call this place Earth, but she could see unrecognisable plants decorating the crags in front and grassland surrounding her. Small delicate pink wildflowers hid themselves amongst the grass blades, the occasional petal taking off into the wind. Planets sharing similar details of her home made her feel in awe and pine for England again. Just for a moment. Then, a faint speck of blue against a rock face made her do a double take. From here it looked like a mark on the perfect form of the overhang. She lifted her boot to move closer only for loud noise to startle her. A revved engine severed the tranquil silence around them, making her jump out of her thoughts and make her nearly lose her footing. Rose crossed her arms, but then couldn’t keep the glare on her face.

The Doctor in front of her was perched on a motorbike, feet firmly planted on the ground either side and wearing an amused expression. He had to speak loudly to let himself be heard. “This good enough for you? It’s too loud against this beautiful scenery… but I know you’d want get there sooner rather than later.”

Rose rushed over to join him, sitting behind him, and quickly wrapping her arms around his middle. She felt him laugh quietly as her hands were clasped together and resting on his front. She didn’t need to see his face to know he was grinning, letting out an excited scream as he revved the bike once more before he set the bike into motion. She briefly shut her eyes and she laughed uncontrollably as the suspension of the bike kicked in, handling the naturally occurring curves of the landscape. The rumble of the engine, the feeling of the wheels propelling themselves effortlessly across the terrain, her chest heaving as she regained her breath, the warmth of the driver in front of her. Rose could feel it all at once. Wind faintly whistled in her ears, a brief laugh from the Doctor’s following. She held tighter, letting her eyes drift up to the thin wispy clouds and the blue sky. And suddenly, she remembered the blue spot upon the rock. She rested her chin on the Doctor’s shoulder, her eyes frantically searched the crags that were gradually coming closer, the momentum made it hard for her to look clearly. “Where has it… it was just there…” she murmured to herself, remembering it could not be heard clearly.

“What…? Don’t worry I’m a good driver. I can drive anything if I or someone else puts me up to it!”

She let the side of her head rest against his. ‘Looks like there could be blue blobs for aliens here… I’ll never know what it was’, she thought ruefully. It could have been a trick of the light, but she didn’t think it was fun to think like that. After what she had witnessed it could have very well been a creature traversing up the rock. Rose wondered about what kind of lifeforms lived here as she felt the wind forced itself against her skin. They may have been like her if they breathed the same air, but she supposed she shouldn’t assume. She’d been wrong so many times before. The companion found her eyes examining the timelord’s facial hair, dark brown and short. It was not seemingly different to a human’s, but the surface really could be deceiving. Plastic could be alive, machines could be sentient, human skin could be a costume, and a man could really be a near extinct alien race.

“Not far off now, Rose. Look at that sunshine…”

She shook away her thoughts, pointing in front of her as she noticed the gradient of the land began to increase. “Give her more power, Doctor!” She used to ride around on her ex’s motorbike, it was his pride and joy. Wasn’t much when she looked back on it, not to a naïve teenager. Used to chug up hills and give off so much smoke. This was so much better. “It’s so beautiful around here! I want to see it up close”. The Doctor adjusted gears to allow for them to navigate the growing slope, Rose letting herself watch the surrounding landscape cruise past. Both remained largely silent as they made their way up towards higher ground, except from occasional encouragement from the Doctor – hoping that this would keep the bike going.

“Come on, old girl! Her majesty would like to be there post-haste!” The Doctor felt a hand smack his shoulder, making him laugh as he struggled a little with the steepness.

“We can walk the rest! I promise I won’t complain… we’re so close now anyway.”

He felt his hearts calm slightly as their earlier speed died away, looking around them for anywhere to go just that bit further. Relief filled him as he spotted a gentle slope between two mounds. Suddenly he felt Rose tap him hard on the shoulder.

“… Doctor… how didn’t we see that?”

The Doctor turned his head to look for what his companion meant. Faint but unquestionably ominous red and black wisps surrounded a castle far in the distance with four or five distinct pillars placed at an angle. The tufts of black were constant, coiling and arching up through the air in a serpentine manner. He could observe spires and the highest tower, but the mist and darkness made it difficult to make out. Not even the sun above would light that place.

“… We could have been going there!” He exclaimed, smacking the handles of the bike. “Look at how menacing that beauty is! Absolute beauty. There is definitely something big happening there.” He licked his lips, “I knew this place couldn’t actually be that quiet… the TARDIS has never failed to seek out those fun places.”

“So no safari… or theme park… but we get an evil monster living in a castle?” He saw her shiver slightly at the sight.

“We’ll definitely have to ask around about that if we find anyone. Ah, the domestic approach…” He adjusted a little, creeping the bike down to drive near one of the hills. He placed a foot on the floor, feeling Rose cling tighter as the bike leaned in response. Either that or it had set in that there were dark presences here. “Well… least we have a direction to go in. Let’s walk from here, wouldn’t want to startle anyone nearby.” The purring of the engine cut off, the timelord removing the key and pocketing them. Both stepped off the motorbike, the Doctor swiftly wheeling it to lean against a rocky wall. His eyes automatically drifted to Rose, then behind them. “Quite some distance… no trouble… yet.”

“I didn’t ask… but where did you get the bike?” His companion asked, gesturing to said vehicle. “What else do you keep in the TARDIS that I don’t see?”. Rose was so quick to ask about him rather than where they were, he had to keep on guard for them both.

The timelord placed a hand against the rock, gauging its component materials. “Well if I told you than they wouldn’t be things you haven’t seen… and I enjoy being mysterious.” He looked at the bike, letting his hand drop to his side. Rose scoffed in response, crossing her arms in her usual display stubbornness. “I’d be talking a long time if I told you. As for the bike… it was just something I picked up in the 1990’s… I won’t bore you with the story.” The Doctor advanced towards the organic alley that existed between the two cliffs above, brown orbs following the cracks and layers upwards, only pausing at a purple mushroom clinging on for dear life.

“I want to know… you don’t do boring stories.” Her voice sounded faintly incredulous, Rose running her fingers along the rubber of a bike handle. “Saving the world again? It happens a lot, but it’d wouldn’t be boring to hear once more.”

He sighed, “I wanted to see Titanic.”

“What the ship?” Rose stumbled after her friend as her eyes widened in disbelief.

“N-no no no… I mean the film Titanic. It debuted in 1997. To be honest, I did want to see if they got any of the actual events right.” The Doctor kept walking forwards, running a hand along the rock, feeling the minerals resist his fingertips. He noted the path they tread was created by repeated use; the grass had been worn away leaving just dirt. There must have been tradesmen or tourists, there had to be something nearby.

Rose laughed, the sound echoing around them. “But also because it’s sad right? It’s a beautiful film.”

“Oh yes, it’s brilliant. Inaccurate but still… really captures the human nature in some sense.” He listened to the dirt crunch beneath his feet, the chiasm projecting their activity and facilitating a steady breeze down into the valley. “The instinct of self-preservation, altruism, love… timeless.” The Doctor smirked at that one, shaking his head and watching his feet as he stead carefully over some stones embedded in the path. “Careful here…”

Rose rolled her eyes, not taking her attention away from her feet until the path was more stable, she wasn’t planning on falling on her face. “Ha ha I get it, mister timelord.” They continued walking for a few seconds, silence between them as they both were lost in thought. Rose stared at his back as she spoke again, “So… what do you think?”

“Think about what?”

“You know… this place. The rock, the moss, the… fields… is this Earth?”

The Doctor shook his head. “Definitely not. It reminds me of it, but it is very unlikely. I’ve not much to go on…”. He caught something ahead moving and began to walk faster and then went into a run, the first sign of intelligent life he had seen besides birds or plants. The Doctor felt his lips move into a smile, beginning to recognise what he had seen. A colourful linen banner billowed in the wind, the Doctor realising it was coiled around a wooden archway. The footpath began to curve after said arch, tempting his legs to press forward. Despite this, he stopped underneath the structure to examine it and let Rose catch up.

“D-Doctor… wait…” Rose said as she reached him, having been taking her time to gaze upon the scenery. She glanced around before she too looked at the wooden construction.

The structure appeared slightly lower than their current position, its four posts embedded into the ground. The arch itself was triangular, made of more wooden posts that pressed into each side of the chasm, further planks placed across acting like a roof. It was also decorated with unfamiliar patterns. A golden eye was at the peak of the arch, red cloth and four blue banners dangling from supporting beams. A banner had a triangle with two distinct lines. The other three held the same pattern that showed the same eye. A further two leaner posts were hammered into the ground further down the slope, rope connecting the two, with wooden charms that were painted in a fading red.

“This… this is amazing. It reminds me of Japanese architecture…” The Doctor murmured, letting himself stand directly beneath it to marvel at its craftmanship. “Though you don’t usually see more than two posts…”

“Never been to Japan…” She replied quietly, focusing her attention on the presence of all the eyes. “I wonder what the eye means… it looks like it’s crying.” Rose thought aloud, clasping her hands behind her as she slowly moved to follow the Doctor.

“It could be a god… a watchful eye…caring and crying for their people. Or, making sure they follow specific rules. Who knows.” He tread leisurely, speculating further aloud as he made sense of the new stimuli. “These charms could be protective… warding away evil spirits. Or they could be wishes to be received by the gods. Yup, definitely reminds me of the time I spent in a Shinto temple.”

“God, you’ve been all over-“

“I get very interested in exploring how people choose to perceive the universe.” The Doctor paused very suddenly, listening to the sound of people talking nearby, an eager smile lighting up his face. “We have to talk to this civilisation!” He started to walk quickly ahead, passing under another big archway, chuckling at the arrows sticking out of the eye at the pinnacle.

Rose hurried to keep up with him, blinking rapidly as she saw houses and more charms hanging in the air. She could see a little sitting area to her left, wooden chairs and tables barren of life. The wood looked damp, another sign of a recent downpour. Gnarly trees grew between buildings along the worn path, none of them showing any signs of flower or fruit. Their leaves were the same vibrant green as before, the bark catching the light of lanterns placed on nearby thin posts. The houses themselves had wonderful curved thatched roofs and cream walls. The houses she could see had wooden fences and porches containing pots and baskets, though she could not see what they contained. There were further wooden beams and panels making up the structure of the buildings.

“Wow… this really feels… old-timey. But it has so much… character.” Rose mumbled, feeling suddenly very out of place in her modern garments. She regretted not trying to look at least plainer so they wouldn’t catch attention.

A wind swept through the hidden valley, shifting the wood hung above her and creating gentle clanking noises. Made her think of wind chimes they used to have when she was younger, such a beautiful sound. She kept herself moving forward, remembering the TARDIS would translate any language they came across. Rose let out a relieved breath, there was both shops and an inn here in case they wanted to recuperate. All had large symbols to represent what they were offering: a carrot, a pot containing arrows and a crescent moon. Resting seemed unlikely with the way the Doctor was right now. However, his delight when encountering new life was always such a happy moment for her, it made her feel fulfilled to be lending her company to a lonely angel. A kind soul who only wanted to share the universe with others such as herself. The man who had opened her world and chose to nurture the human fascination of moving forward.

“We really need to ask about this symbol… it’s everywhere.” The Doctor spun around on the spot, taking in the sight of the buildings around. “Inn… shops… houses… a little settlement nestled away amongst the peaks. What luck we’re having!”

“Excuse me…” An unknown voice said, both The Doctor and Rose looking around for the source. They both paused, staring at what appeared to be a man with striking white hair tied up in a bun. His appearance solidified that this was not Earth. The man had tanned skin, piercing dark eyes and frown lines right from his forehead to around his mouth. But his most noticeable trait was his long-pointed ears. **His clothes were traditional – add to?**

“You remind me of a shinobi…- well ninjas. Sorry I’m being facetious again. How can we help you?” The Doctor responded, trying to maintain a calmer composure. These people seemed sheltered to him and it didn’t want to make the experience rockier than it already was.

“I just wanted to ask… where are you from? You… don’t look like a normal Hylian to me. Sorry to ask.” The man seemed stern but curious despite all that, the bow on his back didn’t distract from that.

“Hylian?” Rose said slowly, looking to the Doctor and then back. She realised her ears were hidden by her hair. “Oh we… yeah. We aren’t from here.” Her eyes kept peering back over to the Doctor, her hands beginning to fidget.

“No we aren’t Hylian… but we do come from quite far away. You wouldn’t know it. We’re tourists.” He tilted his head, looking around and noting the elevated temple for later questioning. “I was just admiring your village… it’s wonderous. But my good man… what does that symbol stand for?” He gestured to another banner that hung below a smaller arch, this one preceded a stairway leading up to the temple.

The stranger was happy to answer the question. “Ah, that is the symbol of the Sheikah. You were correct to call me a ninja… we are an ancient clan that swears to protect the royal family of Hyrule.”

“So… this is Hyrule?” Rose asked, her eyes wandering and catching a small statue surrounded by water.

“Yes. The territory extends far and is varied in terrain. Only the brave dare explore the desert and the tallest peaks.” His gaze followed hers, gesturing and moving towards the statue. “I see you are interested in our goddess statue. Most villages have one.” He looked puzzled for a moment with her lack of response, “… Do you worship a different god?”

Rose quickly nodded, “Yes sorry… I-I don’t know who this is.” She felt herself blush, walking closer to the stone monument. There was a stone path to allow people to kneel, the pond around her adorned with dead leaves and fragrant water lilies. Rose wasn’t particularly spiritual, but she felt a calmness being so close to it.

The man just smiled warmly, the Doctor listening closely to the stranger. “Hyrule was formed by three gods: Din, Nayru and Farore. This statue is Hylia, the god Hyrule is protected by. Circumstances led to her form being reincarnated as a Hylian as she needed to return to seal the darkness away. We still pray to her to request protection and that the evil will be sealed again.”

“The darkness?” Rose probed, kneeling to examine the statue. It resembled a woman, but the details were worn away due to the elements. She started to think about that castle again and whether this myth was even true. She blinked rapidly, turning her head to speak directly to him. “I’m so sorry for not asking sooner, what’s your name?”

“My name is Dorian. I serve Impa, the elder of our village. I’m… surprised you don’t know about the evil presence.” He laughed softly, “You really must be from quite far away. I suppose you also don’t know the legend of this land.”

The Doctor stepped closer to the temple, wearing a thoughtful expression. “No… but we’d like to know about it. We could help.” He laughed mirthfully, looking over at Rose with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. “We have a bit of a habit of doing that, don’t we?” Rose giggled softly, the timelord bringing his attention back to Dorian. “Oh, I’m called the Doctor and this is my travelling companion, Rose.”

Dorian bowed his head slightly, “Doctor… Rose… we are welcoming of visitors who wish to know the history and duty of our people. Although, Impa would be the better teller than any of us. She was there, after all.” The man smiled once more, the emotion not quite reaching his eyes. The Doctor recognised something mournful about his expression, it was like looking into a mirror. Dorian gestured towards the old temple that was perched above the rest of the village. “Follow me. She will explain to you the plague upon Hyrule and those destined to save it.”


End file.
